Originally Posted by
chornedsnorkack
But this difference of course only matters for window seats - and while some 777-s have 2-5-2 seating with therefore more comfortable window seats than on A300, Boeing pushes 3-3-3 seating, making window seats double excuse seats. Allegedly because Boeing has never invented an IFE box for 4 seats.
Boeing doesn't make IFE and seats nor those it design them. Manufacturers like BE Aerospace and Recaro design and make seats (I'm sure there are many more). Mashushita/Panasonic and Rockwell/Collins are/were IFE designers and manufacturers.
A 777 has best economy with 9-10 abreast in the main cabin. The A340 is best at 8 but charters can squeeze in 9. You'll note that Airbus has now settled for a 9-abreast cabin for the A350 (up from an original 8 like the 300/310/330/340 breathen) as it lowers per seat cost for the airlines.
3-3-3 config works well if the flight is 2/3 full as each passenger gets an empty middle seat in average. 2-5-2 allows (with up to 89% average load) 4 pairs of people travelling together not to sit next to a stranger.
Besides, airlines such as TG, EK, BA and NG have (or had) 777s configured in 10 abreast. I'm sure those seats are configured in 3-4-3. Not sure how many of these have IFE s though. Probably only EK.